If you own a commercial business, you need to take extra care in the winter for a number of things.
From making sure the parking lots are in good shape to ensuring the floors of your business are clean
and dry, you need to pay attention to detail during the winter. The drains and sewers connected to
businesses are things that are often overlooked during the winterization process. Here are a few tips to
avoid any sewer line emergencies this winter.
The Importance of Winter-Proofing Drains and Sewers
When water freezes into ice, it expands in volume. You’ve probably seen this when you fill your ice cube
trays; the water may be level when you pop them into the freezer, but when they are finished the ice
might be protruding over the top of each ice compartment. In the same way, water expands when it
freezes in your pipes, but instead of simply overflowing like the ice cubes, the pipes could burst because
there’s nowhere else for the ice to go. This can be very costly in both money and time to repair.
Insulate, Insulate, Insulate!
This is the most important thing to do when it comes to protecting your sewer line. If you are in an area
that experiences extremely low temperatures during the winter, you’ll need to invest in fairly thick
insulation. Otherwise, regular residential insulation will probably do the trick.
There are a few options for insulation for commercial pipes. You can use tubular insulation, but you
have to be careful to measure out the pipe’s dimensions properly, otherwise, you could end up with
insulation that either doesn’t fit or is too loose to help. Alternatively, fiberglass, horsehair felt, and
polyethylene are options that can be found in home improvement or hardware stores.
Check Your Outside Hose Connections
This is one of the most often overlooked steps to winterizing your sewer system and plumbing. To do
this, you’ll need to go outside and open any hose connections to allow any remaining water in the hose
to drain out. Once all the water is gone, turn off the valve that controls the flow of water so that no
water gets trapped and freezes.
Trust the Sewer & Drain Experts
For over 37 years Boston Drain Company has provided diagnostics, sewer & drain cleaning, video pipe inspections, sewer line repairs and preventative maintenance options to business owners and residents of Eastern Massachusetts & the Greater Boston Area. For any and all sewer & drain repair/service, call the experts at Boston Drain!
Not sure if you’re needing a full replacement or just a quick fix? For a free quote contact us today via our convenient contact form or call us directly at 617-265-8888!